Whether you want to make a change in password management just because, or you are an annoying LastPass user with the service recent changes for its free level, switching to the much-loved (and free) Bitwarden service is a good option. Bitwarden is now the best free password manager for most people, as it works on all your devices to add convenience and security to your logins, and setting it up is quick and easy.
To get started, go to Bitwarden site and create an account. It’s free, and all you need is to give of yourself a solid master password. Make a good one and don’t use it anywhere else, because it will be one of the doormen of all the other passwords you store on the service. Once you’ve created your account and are signed in, be sure to verify your email address using the option at the top right.
If you come from another service, such as LastPass, for example, you will want to find a tool that you can use to export your passwords. In LastPass, this is hidden under the file Advanced options link at the bottom; exporting your passwords basically transforms them into a simple .CSV list.
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Then copy the list (which I’m not capturing the screen, for obvious reasons) directly to Bitwarden using Tools menu > Import data.
All your passwords will appear on the main screen and should also sync with your various Bitwarden applications the next time you use them. To edit any of your passwords, click the link for a specific site or service. You can also use the gear icon that appears when you hover over each tab to copy your username or password directly to the clipboard.
These are the basics of Bitwarden, but you’re not done yet. Click on the profile picture at the top right and select My account. From there, click Login in two steps in the leftmost sidebar.
This is where you will set up two-factor authentication for your account (this is not necessary for you to do this) use Bitwarden, but it is highly recommended that you keep your account protected from unauthorized sign-in. You can choose to email 2FA codes to verify login attempts, but I recommend that you use an authentication application However. They are similarly easy to set up and act as a password manager for all your two-factor authentication tokens.
You may also want to visit Options left sidebar link, which will allow you to adjust the lap timeout, such as how long it will remain open since you last accessed it. This time is up and you will need to enter your password again. Reject this option if you have a shared computer and consider doing so a bit if you feel especially secure in your settings.
After that, grab all the Bitwarden applications and extensions you will need for your devices and browsers. Installing them is easy and allows you to access everything you have stored on your Bitwarden vault. For example, in the case of your browser, all you have to do is right-click on the password prompt to get Bitwarden autofill:
And that’s it. The free version of Bitwarden doesn’t offer a lot of features (for example, it doesn’t check for saved passwords), but it does give you a quick and easy way to sync passwords across all your devices. What don’t you like?